Bench back rest



M y 5, w. v. NEWPORT 2,158,247

BENCH BACK REST Filed June 21, 1938 INVENTOR- WILLIAM v. "swoon? ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE BENCH BACK REST William V. Newport, Campbell, Ohio Application June 21, 1938, Serial No. 214,864

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a bench back rest.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a portable back rest adapted to be applied to benches, stadium seats, and the like.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a back rest designed to fold into a compact easily portable unit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a back rest so constructed that it will hold its position firmly upon a seat while in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a back rest of light and inexpensive construction, and having one portion so designed that it becomes a convenient carrying sack for is the device when not in use.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a back rest which may be placed in operating position on a seat while the user thereof is seated.

20 The bench back rest shown and described herein has been designed to form as simple and economical a back rest as possible. It is well known that portable back rests have been made hereto-' fore and it has been found that these other port- 25 able back rests are, as a general rule, cumbersome to carry and rather expensive in manufacture. The back rest which I have designed is constructed of a minimum of parts, and is therefore of extremely light weight. However, the

80 back rest is so constructed that when unfolded into operating position it forms a convenient and comfortable back rest sufiiciently rigid to Withstand hard usage.

With the foregoing and other objects in view 35 which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the back rest placed in position upon a section of a bench, a portion of the bench being broken away in order to show clearly the details of the device.

50 Figure 2 is a cross section taken on line 2-42 of Figure 1 showing a detail of construction providing a rigid corner.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing in detail the method of adjustll ing the back rest to various sized benches or seats.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the frame portion of the back rest, showing in dotted lines the positions taken by the side bars of the device when folded.

By referring to the drawing and Figure 1 in 5 particular, it will be seen that a bench back rest has been placed upon a bench l and comprises an upright frame formed of two parallel bars 2 spaced apart by means of a back portion 3. This back portion 3 has formed on its lower portion a 10 depending curved section 4, the ends 5 of which are designed to closely contact the parallel bars 2. The back portion 3 is pivoted to the parallel bars 2 by any suitable means, bolts 6 having been shown. The parallel bars 2 are also provided at their lower extremities with off-set U-shaped portions 1 which are designed to fit around the back edge of the bench I. In each of the parallel bars 2 there is an elongated opening 8 through which a section of chain 9 has been passed. A slidable clip [0 is positioned on each of the parallel bars 2 and is adapted to slide downwardly over the elongated opening 8 and securely position the chain 9 therein. The opposite ends of the chains 9 are attached by threaded eye bolts ll having lock nuts thereon to U-shaped clamps l2 which are adapted to fit over the front edge of the bench I.

A piece of canvas or other suitable material in the form of a slip cover I3 is positioned over the upper sections of the back rest and forms a part of the back rest. When not in use this slip cover l3 serves as a convenient carrying bag for the folded back rest.

By referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that an enlarged detail taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 shows the depending curved portion 4 of the back portion 3. Figure 3 shows the chain 9 being positioned in the lower portion of the elongated opening 8, and also the slidable clip I0 before being placed in looking position. By referring to Figure 4 it will be seen that the manner of folding the device is shown by arrows, and the position of the parallel bars 2 when folded is represented by dotted lines.

It is obvious that I have provided a practical back rest of unusually simple design and construction. The chains 9 provide a wide degree of adjustability in adapting the device to various sized seat portions.

What I claim is:

1. In a bench back rest, an upright frame comprising two parallel bars and a back portion, a curved depending portion formed on said back portion, the edges of which closely contact the inner edges of the said parallel bars, ofiset U-shaped portions on the lower ends of said parallel bars adapted to engage the rear edge of a bench, means for holding the said frame from rearward movement, comprising clamps to fit over the front edge of a bench and connected 'to the said parallel bars by means of chains.

2. In a bench back rest, an upright frame comprising two parallel bars and a back portion, a curved depending portion formed on said back portion, the edges of which closely contact the inner edges of the said parallel bars, offset U-shaped portions on the lower ends of said par allel bars adapted to engage the rear edge of a bench, elongated openings formed in the lower sections of said parallel bars, a pair of clamps adapted to fit over the front edge of the bench and connected to said frame by means of chains engaged in said elongated openings, a slidable clip functioning over each parallel bar adapted to slide over the openings in such manner as to hold the chains securely therein.

3. In a bench back rest, an upright frame comprising two parallel bars and a back portion, a curved depending portion formed on said back portion, the edges of which closely contact the inner edges of the said parallel bars, ofiset U-shaped portions on the lower ends of said parallel bars adapted to engage the rear edge of a bench, elongated openings formed in the lower sections of said parallel bars, a pair of clamps adapted to fit over the front edge of the bench and connected to said frame by means of chains engaged in said elongated openings, a slidable clip functioning over each parallel bar adapted to slide over the openings in such manner as to hold the chains securely therein, a slip cover positioned over the upper sections of the back rest and forming a part of the back rest, said parallel bars pivoted to the said back portion and adapted to fold outwardly and upwardly to a position parallel with the said back portion to form a folded unit sufficiently compact to fit within the said slip cover.

WILLIAM V. NEWPORT. 

